The 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs: A Deep Dive into the Teams, Players, and Predictions
April 18, 2025, marks the dawn of the 2025 Stanley Cup playoffs, and this year, the excitement is palpable. Unlike some previous seasons, the playoff bracket was finalized a few days early, thanks to the Montreal Canadiens clinching the final spot. This sets them up for a thrilling first-round face-off against Alex Ovechkin and the Washington Capitals. Meanwhile, the Atlantic Division is gearing up for two epic battles: the Battle of Ontario between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators, and the Battle of Florida featuring the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Florida Panthers.
Over in the Western Conference, the Winnipeg Jets, who clinched the Presidents’ Trophy, are set to take on the resurgent St. Louis Blues. Meanwhile, Mikko Rantanen and the Dallas Stars will face off against his former team, the Colorado Avalanche. And for the fourth consecutive postseason, the Los Angeles Kings and Edmonton Oilers will clash in Round 1.
ESPN hockey reporters Ryan S. Clark and Kristen Shilton have all the angles covered, providing insights into each of the 16 postseason teams. They delve into the reasons each team could win it all, highlight the biggest X factors, spotlight players to watch, and make bold predictions for every team.
Note: Profiles for the Atlantic and Metropolitan playoff brackets were penned by Shilton, while Clark analyzed the Central and Pacific clubs. Also, note that wild-card teams are listed according to the playoff bracket in which they’re playing (so the Canadiens are in the Metro, and the Minnesota Wild are in the Pacific).
Stats are collected from sites such as Natural Stat Trick, Hockey Reference, and Evolving Hockey.
Read more: Full schedule
Bracket, schedule
Expert picks
Wyshynski’s bracket
Contender flaws
Originally Written by: Ryan S. Clark,Kristen Shilton
